Visit of Relics to Cambodia

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, together with St. Francis Assisi is considered one of the most popular saints in the history of the church.  She died at the age of 24, in 1897, but is known for her simple and practical approach to the spiritual life. What sets her apart from other saints, whether in ancient times or modern times, is that her parents were also canonized as saints, the only married couple so honored. Some relics of her parents, Louis and Zelie Martin, have been brought to Cambodia as an inspiration to Cambodian Catholics as they focus on the family this year. Here Bishop Olivier is at the cargo terminal at the Phnom Penh airport to claim the shipment when it arrived in the kingdom. He has been taking the relics to the parishes and institutions throughout Cambodia.

What is it?

Here’s another Cambodian fruit for which I don’t know the name. They are rock-hard and about the size of a tennis ball or maybe even a baseball. They must be seasonal because I don’t see them very often–or maybe they’re just not that popular.

Marist Brothers Chapter

Every three years the Brothers of the Marist District of Asia have a chapter meeting to reconnect and to discuss issues of governance for their community. In 2016 and in 2019 they met at the pastoral center in Phnom Penh Thmey in Cambodia and both times I was invited to work with them for their liturgical celebrations.

There were 45 brothers attending this chapter. They come from many different countries around the world and they work in 10 or 12 countries in Asia.
The pastoral center has a large chapel that we used for the daily liturgies.
The liturgies were at 6:00 PM and I was invited to eat dinner with the brothers and to stay overnight. On this evening Brother Francis who works in Cambodia was acknowledging some of the brothers who were moving to new missions.